Filipendula plant named ‘Wbprest’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Filipendula  plant named ‘Wbprest’, characterized by its compact, upright, broadly outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; green-colored leaves with dark greyed purple-colored venation; numerous light red purple-colored flowers; good garden performance; and low temperature hardiness.

Botanical designation: Filipendula multijuga×Filipendula palmata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WBPREST’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Filipendula plant, botanically known as Filipendula multijuga×Filipendula palmata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wbprest’.

The new Filipendula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new compact and freely flowering Filipendula plants with attractive foliage and flowers.

The new Filipendula plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor during the summer of 2003 of a proprietary selection of Filipendula multijuga, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Filipendula palmata, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Filipendula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in July, 2005 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Filipendula plant by divisions and by micro propagation in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands since February, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Filipendula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Filipendula have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and various cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wbprest’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wbprest’ as a new and distinct Filipendula plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, broadly outwardly spreading and mounding         plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Green-colored leaves with dark greyed purple-colored         venation.     -   4. Numerous light red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance and hardy to low temperatures.

Plants of the new Filipendula can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Filipendula differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Filipendula are shorter than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Filipendula and the female parent         selection differ in color as leaves of plants of the female         parent selection have green-colored venation.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Filipendula are lighter in color         than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Filipendula can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Filipendula differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Filipendula are shorter than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Filipendula and the male parent         selection differ in color as leaves of plants of the male parent         selection have green-colored venation.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Filipendula are lighter in color         than flowers of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Filipendula can be compared to plants of Filipendula purpurea ‘Kahome’, not patented. Plants of the new Filipendula differ from plants of ‘Kahome’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Filipendula are shorter than plants of         ‘Kahome’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Filipendula and ‘Kahome’ differ         in color as leaves of plants of ‘Kahome’ have green-colored         venation.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Filipendula are lighter in color         than flowers of plants of ‘Kahome’.

Plants of the new Filipendula can also be compared to plants of Filipendula palmata ‘Nana’, not patented. Plants of the new Filipendula differ from plants of ‘Nana’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Filipendula are taller than plants of         ‘Nana’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Filipendula and ‘Nana’ differ in         color as leaves of plants of ‘Nana’ have green-colored venation.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Filipendula are lighter in color         than flowers of plants of ‘Nana’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Filipendula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Filipendula plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Wbprest’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘Wbprest’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Wbprest’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants of the new Filipendula grown during the late spring in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Hillegom, The Netherlands and under cultural conditions which closely approximate commercial Filipendula production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 18° C. Plants were three years old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Filipendula multijuga×Filipendula palmata     ‘Wbprest’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Filipendula multijuga, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Filipendula palmata, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By micro-propagation.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About eight to ten days at             20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 to 24 days at 10°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About eight             weeks at 15° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About twelve             weeks at 12° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; compact,             upright, broadly outwardly spreading and mounding plant             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 25 basal             lateral branches; pinching (removal of terminal apices) is             not required.         -   Plant height.—About 66.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 103 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 53.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 6.3 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—About 30° from vertical.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 12.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 12.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Base.—Hastate, not overlapping.         -   Margin.—Bi-serrate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth; veins, moderately pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between N137C             and 143A; venation, close to N186C. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, between 182C and             183D.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 12.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 152B to 152C. Color, lower surface:             Close to 144B.         -   Stipules.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Acute. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 144B to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance/arrangement.—Single rotate flowers             arranged in terminal and axillary branched umbels; freely             flowering habit with usually about 350 flowers per terminal             inflorescence and about 150 flowers per axillary             inflorescence; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten             months after planting; flowering continuous from the late             spring through the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet and fresh.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 8.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 7 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape:             Globular. Color: Close to 60D; towards the base, close to             146A and 195D.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Single whorl of five. Length:             About 2.5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Broadly obovate;             concave. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 68A to 68B; towards the base,             close to 62C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 68B to 68C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Single whorl of four; calyx             campanulate. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A and             195D. Fully opened, upper surface: Towards the base, close             to 70C to 70D; towards the apex, close to 146A. Fully             opened, lower surface: Towards the base, close to 70D;             towards the apex, close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 17.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Terminal inflorescences, erect;             axillary inflorescences, about 40° from vertical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 176A;             distally, strongly tinged with close to 183B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 146D; distally, tinged with close to 184B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.3 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from peduncle             axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Between 183B and             184B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:             About 50. Filament length: About 3.5 mm. Filament color:             Close to 186D. Anther shape: Broadly ovate, basifixed.             Anther length: About 0.2 mm. Anther color: Close to 185B.             Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 155A.             Gynoecium: Quantity per flower: Seven. Pistil length: About             1 mm. Style length: About 0.6 mm. Style color: Close to 64B.             Stigma appearance: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 155A.             Ovary color: Close to 64A to 64B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Filipendula. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Filipendula have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and high     temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone     4. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Filipendula have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Filipendula. 

1. A new and distinct Filipendula plant named ‘Wbprest’ as illustrated and described. 